How Fees are Calculated

Graduate program fees are calculated based on your program of study (ie. course-based or thesis-based) and according to your year of admission. The following three graduate student scenarios describe how program fees are determined:

Note: Changes to Your Fee Assessment

It is very important that you check your BearTracks account regularly for changes to your fee assessment. Due to system configuration and changes, your fees may need to be recalculated throughout the term.
Please notify gradfees@ualberta.ca as soon as possible if you are concerned about your fee assessment being either too high or too low in value.

Fees are calculated based on the thesis research activity and/or the number of courses you register in.

Every thesis/course section at the University of Alberta is assigned fee index units, represented by the (fi X) beside each course listed in Bear Tracks and the University Calendar.

The cost (instructional fees) for courses taken for credit is therefore determined by multiplying the fee index units of each course by the graduate fee index value approved by the Board of Governors each year.

2017 - 2018 Canadian/PR
Graduate Fee Index (fi) Value = $104.02

* = units of course weight

THES 903

represents *3 of research activity

fi 6

$104.02 x 6

= $642.12

THES 909

represents *9 of research activity

fi 18

$104.02 x 18

= $1,872.36

SOC 633

*1.5 credit course

fi 3

$104.02 x 3

= $312.06

CIV E 900

*3 directed research project

fi 6

$104.02 x 6

= $624.12

Note: There are additional fees and exceptions to the above.

Non-instructional fees (eg. athletics, health services) are assessed based on registration, either full-time or part-time, as well as the location of the course, either on or off-campus.

International students are assessed an international student differential fee for each term of registration. There is an additional $123.24 fee index assessed for international students (i.e. a 3 credit course will cost 104.02*6 + 123.24*6 = 624.12 + 739.45 = $1,363.57 per course).

Thesis-919 is a reduced fee thesis registration with a flat instructional fee.

To avoid installment charges, all Fall/Winter fees must be paid by the last weekday in September (the Fall Term Fee Payment Deadline). If students pay by term, there is a $40 installment fee added to the Winter Term fees. Similar rules apply to Spring/Summer fees. See the fees section of the University Calendar for details.

Commencing in Fall 2011, all newly admitted students registered in thesis based programs will be assessed fees using a ‘program’ fee rather than a per course fee charge.

The program fee will be now assessed in Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer terms. The total yearly program fee is divided as follows: 1/3, 1/3, 1/6, 1/6 for each of the four terms, respectively.

In Spring/Summer terms, thesis based students must pay their program fee and the UPass fee. In addition, if they choose to audit a course or to register in a NON-Thesis subject course for credit, they will be charged additional course fees and non instructional fees for Spring/Summer terms.

Students can contact their respective departments for further information regarding Cost Recovery, Alternate Delivery or undergraduate Engineering courses that may be required as part of their graduate programs. Students auditing these courses are subject to the same rules.

Non-instructional fees (eg. athletics, health services) are assessed based on registration, either full-time or part-time.

If a student chooses to register in additional (non-thesis) courses, a charge per course (based on the fee index) will be incurred in addition to the program fee. As well, applicable non-instructional fees will be charged on the Spring/Summer term with additional (non-thesis) course(s). The same applies if a student chooses to audit a course. See the Fees Payment Guide of the University Calendar for more details on auditing courses.

To avoid installment charges, all Fall/Winter fees must be paid by the last weekday in September (the Fall Term Fee Payment Deadline). If students pay by term, there is a $40 installment fee added to the Winter Term fees. Similar rules apply to Spring/Summer fees. See the fees section of the University Calendar for details.

Every course at the University of Alberta is assigned fee index units, represented by the (fi X) beside each course listed in Bear Tracks and the University Calendar.

The cost (instructional fees) for courses taken for credit is therefore determined by multiplying the fee index units of each course by the graduate fee index value approved by the Board of Governors each year.

International students must pay the Canadian/PR fee index rate, along with an additional assessed international fee index rate.

2017 - 2018 Canadian/PR
Graduate Fee Index (fi) Value = $104.02

* = units of course weight

Non-instructional fees (eg. athletics, health services) are assessed based on registration, either full-time or part-time/on-campus or off-campus.

International students are assessed an international student differential fee for each course they are registered in. There is an additional $123.24 charged for each fee index (i.e. a 3 credit course (fi=6) will cost an additional $739.45 per course for an international student).

To avoid installment charges, all Fall/Winter fees must be paid by the last weekday in September (the Fall Term Fee Payment Deadline). If students pay by term, there is a $40 installment fee added to the Winter Term fees. Similar rules apply to Spring/Summer fees. See the fees section of the University Calendar for details.